Page 1 of Tangle of Lust and Lethargy

CHAPTER ONE

As I led my team toward the serpent’s lair, I knew our lives hung in the balance. The Aegis serpent guarded this ancient artifact, and any seeker deemed unworthy would face swift and lethal judgment.

The Mirror of Aethereal’s prophecy had been clear. Only those who were deemed worthy could claim the Crown of Envy. If we captured the crown, it had the power to send the envy demons back to hell. But to send all of the Seven Deadly Sins back, we had to gather seven objects.

The mirror hadn’t revealed all seven magical items yet. So far, we had the mirror itself, the dagger, the Heartstone, and the phoenix grass. Now, we needed the Crown of Envy.

If we didn’t find all seven magical objects, Maci would achieve her goal of dominating the world. She would unleash the deadly demons, and no one would be able to stand in her way. To make things worse, she had Lisa’s phoenix and would soon have the power to control life and death.

The only thing stopping her was us.

I clutched the compass and the Scales of Balance tighter as we entered the dark and forbidding tunnel. As we approachedthe tunnel’s gaping maw, an eerie stillness enveloped us. The air grew thick with foreboding, and my breath caught in my throat.

I instinctively tightened my grip on the items in my hands, their cool metal surfaces offering a strange comfort against my clammy palms. The tunnel’s entrance loomed before us, a void of impenetrable darkness that seemed to devour what little light remained. The stone walls glistened with moisture, their rough surfaces disappearing into the inky blackness ahead.

A musty odor wafted from the depths, carrying hints of decay and secrets long buried. With each step forward, the outside world receded, leaving us to face whatever lurked within the ominous passage.

Algae dripped from the ceiling, leaving slimy pools on the path. I slipped in one, and the moisture coated my boot. Cold seeped into my feet like a block of ice. A faint hint of sparkling on the narrow passage walls reminded me of gold. Maybe the Crown of Envy was made from what was inside these walls.

The Scales, another ancient artifact, had the power to weigh the purity of our intentions and thoughts. It would be our key to proving our worth to the Aegis serpent. Fear gripped me as we continued deeper into the cave.

Flickering torches cast eerie shadows on the damp walls. Justice walked behind me, his presence giving me the strength and courage to lead my brother and the others deeper into danger. I felt the power of the Crown of Envy and the Aegis serpent bearing down on us, an invisible force pulling us into the unknown.

I handed the Scales to Justice, my hand feeling strangely empty without its weight. His face was drawn, and his tired eyes shone in the darkness that seemed to show off the battle he was fighting inside to survive. My heart ached for him, and a lump formed in my throat. I had to save him. He was my mate, and I wouldn’t let him die.

The compass pointed insistently down the passageway, and I drew a deep breath, trying in vain to calm my racing heart.

My mind flashed to the endless mazes of the Grove of Whispers and the dungeons of Edinburgh, expecting something similar. But as we progressed, it became clear my assumptions were wrong. This passage seemed different, holding secrets yet to be unraveled.

It was darker and colder than the Grove and the dungeons. The cavern seemed older, as if it had been here when man first walked the Earth. How old was the Aegis serpent? Maybe it had lived here since the Ice Age, surviving here when the Earth turned into a frozen palace.

I trudged through the tunnel as if moving through a bog, following the unwavering compass. My team’s blind trust awed and frightened me. What if I was leading them into a death trap?

As I turned a corner, my breath caught in my throat. There, mere steps away, stood an altar. Atop it was the Crown of Envy, gleaming in the torchlight.

My eyes widened as I took in the sight of the Aegis serpent, a massive snake, the largest I had ever seen. Its emerald scales shimmered as it slithered over the crown, and its glowing green eyes locked with mine. I could sense its pulsing power, drawing me toward it. A chill ran down my spine, and I instinctively knew I was the one who had to face it.

The serpent lifted its head and flattened it like a cobra. Its hiss echoed off the cavern walls.

Someone’s hand landed on my shoulder, and I flinched. I turned around, expecting Justice, but it was Brody. “Stay back, Sawyer,” he stated, his voice tight with concern. “I’ll face it.”

I placed my hand on his arm, feeling the tension in his muscles. “No, Brody. This is my destiny. Yours is to guard my back. Can you do that?”

“No. I’m stronger and faster than you. Let me do this.”

I shook my head. “No. I’m the one that has to. I’m the chosen one. If you interfere, the serpent could kill us all, and we’d never get the crown. Is that what you want?”

He hung his head. “No.”

I stared at the altar with a sinking feeling. I could almost feel other eyes upon us. “Good. Watch my back. I have a gut feeling we’re being tracked.”

His scowl deepened as he glanced around the chamber. “Maci is coming?”

I nodded, my stomach clenching with dread.

“We were betrayed, then,” he remarked.

“Yes, unfortunately.” My gaze fell on Zara, who was whispering urgently to Lisa. The sight of them made my skin crawl with suspicion.

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